Stjbmabine explobing-armor



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

L. D. PHILLIPS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. Speccation of Letters Pat-ent No. 15,898, dated October 14, 1856.

To all whom t mayconcem y Be itknown that I, LODNER D. PHILLIPS,

of the city of Chicago, in the county 4of Cook* and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Submarine Armor or Exploring Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon and forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a front view of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a side view of the same; Fig. 3, an upright section; Fig. 4, a horizontal section, with several other sectional views and part-s of the apparatuswhich will be more particularly named hereafter.`

InV general my invention relates to the construction of almetallic vessel or apparatus so apportioned, arranged and equipped with tools or instruments for sub-marine explorations, and of proper form to admit a man in its principal cavity, and in furnishing such metallic casing with air chambers and other apparatus for the convenience and safety of the person operating the same; also suitable joints of peculiar construction to allow the free use of the legs and arms of the operator; also attachments by means of which the operatorcan ascend, or descend, or change his position and give locomotion` to the machine` without assistance from others. y

a, represents a cylinder of boiler iron having the dome head c, of cast iron, furnished with a manhole which is covered with the cap el. This cap is bolted to the head, having a gasket of leather or india rubber inthe joint. The lower end of the cylinder a, is fitted with a cast iron concave bottom.

as shown at b. There are two "circular openings inthis bottom, cast with flanges to receive the legs of the machine.

e, represents the upper and f the lowe part ofthe legs.

The joints at the hips and knee are constructed on the ball and socket. principle, as shown at Nos. l and 2.

The legs e, f, are of cast iron, and are suspended from the bottom b, by the iron straps g, z', and .7c on the outside and by the straps Z and lm. on the inside. The upper ends of the lower straps have journals, or pivots, fitted in boxes formed in the lower end of the upper straps. These joints are shown at` 7L and j. An iron stud or pillow block is attached to the bottom between the legs, in which the pivots of the upper ends of the straps z', are fitted. These pivots are concentrated with and form the axis of the socket joints. To prevent the passage of water through these socket joints I envelop them with a ring of india rubber or other suitable elastic substance, as shown at 0. The edge of this elastic. ring is secured above and below the joint by the hoops fn, and p. These hoops have their ends flanged and are drawn tight with a screw bolt in the usual manner.

e is an exterior casing also of boiler iron placed at the back of the `cylinder a, at a distance from it, and concentric to it. This casing e, forms a chamber, as shown on Fig. 3 and at B on Fig. 4. This chamber is for the purpose of containing air forced into it, to any desired `degree of density, and

forms a reservoir upon `which the operator -1 may draw as required.

j and k are two elastic tubes inclosed in a circumscribing tube, of` any desired length.

The tube y, is connected by the small pipe 71.', to the side of the cylinder as, and opens Y into the air chamber B. The upper end of the tube y, connects with an air forcing pump. A cock z, is inserted in the connecting tube h. -The pipe la', opens into the principal cavity, and is the escape pipe for the vitiated air, a valve being fitted to the inner end of the pipe, and is opened by the operator as occasion may require. Signals are also made through this pipe by means of the voice or discharges of air.

m', represents a cock by means of which the air is admitted from the air chamber into the principal cavityA.

b, b', are two glass plano-convex lenses inserted in the cylinder a, and secured by light emitted through the lower lens by they lamp. A small pipe m', communicates with the chamber B, and conducts a sufiicient supply of air to the lamp, where it is properly distributed to feed the flame. A cock is placed in this pipe to regulate this supply or cut it 0E as desired.

d', represents two arms, constructed with two socket joints each, on same principle as joints in legs before described, except that the axis at the shoulders is horizontal, and the axis at the elbow is vertical.

g, is a small spiral fan wheel attached to the front of the cylinder a, and made to rotate by the crank s. The axis of this wheel passes through proper stuffing boxes, as shown at a. This axis is hollow and fitted with a spindle, as shown at 7^. By means of this spindle r, the operator can disengage the fan wheelg, and let it drop from the machine should occasion require it. An enlarged 'section of this wheel is shown at No. 4.

f, represent-s a safety valve placed on top of air chamber B, the valve being retained on its seat by means of a lever and spiral spring in the usual manner.

g, g', represent two eyes attached to the apparatus, to which ropes or chains may be attached for the purpose of handling the machine.

s', represents the principal suspension eye bolt which is made with a female screwcavity, into which is fitted the screw bolt, and attached to the cap d, as shown on Fig. 3 and enlarged at No. 3. rlhe operator can detach this bolt by means of the handle t.

g', represents a neck of metal attached to the head c. I thus attach to this neck a balloon shaped bag of india rubber, or other suitable elastic substance, as shown at v. The bag 11, is inclosed in a' net of cords, which are attached to the neck g on head 0. A small hole is made through the neck g. and a small pipe n connects it with the air chamber B. A stop cock is fitted in this tube at o. A branch of this pipe also fitted with a cock opens into the principal cavity A.

- u', represents a small metallic tube of indenite length, which the operator carries with him in the machine, and on reachingfthe surface of the water he may insert the tube through the valve o', as shown at No. 5, the valve being moved by the handle lw', the tube extending upward above any surging or splashing of water. The operator by applying his mouth to the tube may inhale air from above the surface of the water.

A leathern girdle is buckled around the loins of the operator, and is attached by two straps to the inner surface of the bottom c, for the purpose of firmly attaching 'the operator to the machine and to facilitate the motions which he may wish to impart to the legs or body of the apparatus.

Vasshown on the drawings.

No. 6, represents in section one of the tools used in operating with this machine. w, is a smooth metallic hollow bar having its outer end formed in movable tongs, as shown at a, the upper jaw of t-he tongs being moved by the hand lever y, and rod m, passing out through the cavity in the bar w, 'Ihe bar w, passes through the socket ball t, as shown in section enlarged at No. 7 where fu, fu, represent a packing of leather held by the metallic rings u, u, secured by bolts and forming a socket in which the ball can j move 1n any direction. A saw, or an augur,

or other implement may be placed in the jaws of the tongs and such motion be given it as may be required by the operator. The ends of the arms d, are fitted with balls and sockets, as represented at No. 7

The operation of this machine is such that a person placing his feet in the lower extremities f, f, of the machine and attaching the leathern girdle firmly about his loins, the air chamber e, being filled with condensed air, the cap cl, firmly bolted to the head c, the apparatus may be let down to any required depth in water. The operator experiences no additional pressure than when exposed to the common atmosphere. The air in the cavity A, becoming vitiated he turns the cock m, and receives a fresh supply from the air pressed in the reservoir B. The operator opens the valve Z', and allows the vitiated air to escape through the tube la. If the operator Wishes to ascend without assist-ance he turns the cock 0, and admits the compressed air into the bag or sub-marine balloon r, which by displacing the water gives additional buoyancy'to the apparatus; then if wishing to descend again he closes the cock 0, and opens the cock p, in the branch pipe, and the pressure of the water gently collapses the balloon r. rlhe air passing into the cavity A, supplies ythe operator with fresh air instead of drawing direct from the air chamber.

The advantages of this machine over all others are, first, the operator is freed from all pressure of water at any depth; secondly, he has ample locomotive control over `I desire to obtain Letters Patent is- 1. A sub-marine armor with which the explorer can be wholly invested, composed entirely of metal, having free and easily moving jointed limbs, and from within 3. Arranging the rods for operating the external tongs or nippers Within the tubu- "10 lar arms as set forth.

L. D. PHILLIPS.

Attest: t

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, H. PELLSON. 

